Method of making a finger ring



April 7, 1936. Y T. E. FOSTER 2,036,688

METHOD OF MAKING A FINGER RING Filed Sept. 27, 1954 [415 1 PIE. 'q

INVENTOR. 7 4 A. Fasrffit XW 22.1w.

ATTORNEYJI Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STAT E'S- PATENT OFFICE Tony" E-Foster, Indianapolis; Ind"., assignor to Ilerfl Jones- 00.,Indianapolis, Ind., acorpora- Application September 27, 1934, Serial-No.745,672

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the'method of makinga finger ring, andparticularly that type of ring commonly known as an all metal or stonering used extensively with fraternal, school or class emblems imposedthereon, and is a-continuation in part of my Patent'No. 1,947,254,issued February 13, 1934, for Method of making a finger ring.

The principal object of theinvention is to producearing'of this generalcharacter which is formedof-two diiferent metals, usually gold andsilver insuch manner as to give the desired weight, appearance,thickness and wearingqualities-while-enabling the cost of the'm-aterialto be substantiallyreducedi It has been common practiceto form'ringswith-a base of cheaper metal,

such assilver, upon which a gold facing; of suf ficient thickness toprovide wearing qualities, is secured by soldering or fusing. It is thepurpose -of 'this invention, however, to utilize this principle-in:constructing a ring with a silver filling which may have a solidgoldfinger band.

O'nefeature of the invention resides in the formation ofa surroundingwallin the formed blank 1 in whichthe filler is embedded.

Another feature resides in the covering ofthe exposed surface of thefiller: with a gold or preci'ouametal'plate providing an overlay so thatno partofthe filler will be exposed, but will beentirely embedded withinthe enclosing structure,

of precious metal.

Another feature of 'the'invention resides'in'the formation of. theseveral pieces and their assembly: while the structure is in asubstantially fiat: or extended form. before being bent into' circularorring-like formation.

The full nature of the invention: will be understood from theaccompanying drawing andthe following description and claims:

portion formed therein for receiving the. filler. isa. perspectiveview'of the filler blank. Fig. 3:i's aperspectiveview'of theoverlayblank; Fig. 4 isz'a composite" perspective viewshowing the finger band.and. filler: blanksafter being formed andi the overlay blank positionedto be laid thereover. Fig. 5. is a perspective View of a.centralvertical-section through the composite blank'withithe. filler-andoverlay in place before forming: the; ring. Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof a section through the formed ring. Fig. 7 is a perspective-view of asection showing a modified. form: wherein the filler is placed upon anunrecessed fingerband blank. Fig. 8 is a similar In the drawing, Fig; 1is'a perspective view-of a fingerband' blank. having a recessed centralview of the form shown in Fig. 7 after being struck: Fig. 9 is a similarview of the structure shown in Fig. 8 showing an overlay blank coveringthe, entire finger band blank.

Inthe drawing there is illustrated in Fig. 6 a section through afingerring having a finger band II), a crown I I upon which an emblem orthe like may be mounted, a filler piece I2 and an overlay I3. The fingerband, crown and overlay are of precious metaLsuch as gold, whereas thefiller piece I2 isofa baser metal, such as silver. The invention hereindescribed contemplates a ring ofthis character formed either with orwithout the overlay I3; Wherein the overlay is employed, the fillerisentirely inclosed so as not to be exposed; Thus, the ring has theappearance and wearing v qualities of a. solid gold ring. Wherein theoverlay. l3gis'eliminated, a portion of the filler IZJwill be exposedbut will be on the inner surface of; they ring so that itis hidden fromview when the ring is Worn.

'Ihefirst step of one of the methods, as illustrated in Fig.1,,contemplates the provision of a substantially flat blankhavingextended arm por- 25 tions. IOa which eventually form the finger bandII]. Intermediate said arm portions there is a central recessed portionI4 where the metal is cut away toreceive thefiller I 2.

In forming the blanks, whereas they are herein 30 illustratedas beingflat, it will be appreciated that they maybeslightly curved or extendslightly in different planes without departing from thefundamentalrequlrement of the method. Such fundamental requirementisthat the blank be sufiiciently flat in formto be conveniently stampedor struck either before or after the filler is secured thereto. Thisprocedure permits of an emblem or. design I 5 to bestruck on the sidesof the finger band' blank while in its substantial fiat form.

As illustrated. in. Fig. 2, there is a filler piece I2. shapedto conformsubstantially with the recess i l-but smaller in area so as to leave anappreciable margin about the edge of the filler for the purposehereinafter described.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated an overlay I3 formed of precious metalwhich is thinner than the filler I2, and of such area as to overlap thefiller I2 and extend to the edges of the finger band blank shown inFig. 1. 50

After the formation of the above blanks, the finger band and fillerblanks may be stamped either separately or together in a suitable die toprovide a formed recess E la in the finger band blank with shoulders I6and a curved crown por- 55 tion I la, the recess G; to be surrounded bywalls H. The filler piece 12 is thereby formed to provide centralportion Mb corresponding in contour to the formed portion Ida, so as toseat and fit snugly therein surrounded by the struck-up walls l1. Thus,the filler forms an inlay completely surrounded by the precious metalwith its upper or exposed surface smooth and flat to receive the fiatoverlay blank l3. The assembly may be viewed in cross section asillustrated in Fig. 5. The composiite blank is then bent into shape toform the ring illustrated in Fig. 6.

The same results are secured by stamping or striking the finger bandblank separately from the filler blank in the same die and then fittingand securing them together. However, the more practical method is to laythe filler blank upon the finger band blank and either temporarily orpermanently secure them together and then strike or stamp them. Eithermethod will result in the form illustrated in Fig. 5, but the formermethod eliminates the requirement of a male die member. A fiat die blockmay be used, the filler blank performing the service of a male diemember. It is immaterial as to whether or notthe filler blankisformedseparately from the finger band blank as illustrated in Fig. 2. The sameresults are accomplished wherein the metal of the filler blank comprisesa soldered or otherwise secured inlay in the finger band blank. However,it is preferable to follow the above method wherein the filler blank I2is of less width than the corresponding portion of the finger bandblank. This permits of the surrounding exposed surface of the fillerblank being formed up into the walls I! so as to completely embrace thefiller.

In the modified forms illustrated in Figs. '7, 8 and 9, the method maybe followed wherein the finger band blank -I0ll-is not recessed as atI4. The filler blank H2 may be laid upon the blank Hill which is of thesame thickness throughout. These blanks may be struck separately or,more conveniently, as above described, they may be struck together, thefiller blank thereby taking the place of a male die. The result is, asillus trated in Fig. 8, that the unrecessed finger band blank is formedto provide the curved recess I la with the design or emblem H5 formedthereon a to provide the concave cavity for recessing the thickenedfiller blank I I2. Here, again, it is immaterial as to whether or notthe filler blank is temporarily or permanently secured to the surface ofthe finger band blank. Fig. 9 illustrates the same with the gold overlayH3 extending from end to end of the finger band blank. This maybepreferable wherein, with this modified method, it may be desirable toreduce the thickness of the finger band blank. Such reduction inthickness may, therefore, be compensated for by extending the overlayblank H3 throughout the full length thereof.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the blank with the fillerformed to shape with the design or emblem l5 and the thickened recessedcrown portion while in substantially flat extended form which permits ofthe ready formation of the ring thereafter with the fiat crown portionfor receiving a superimposed emblem or stone. This is accomplished bystamping the blank and filler either separately or while securedtogether in the samerdie, the filler being entirely surrounded by thepreeious metal of the blank. In

addition thereto, the filler may be entirely enclosed by the addition ofthe overlay blank to provide precious metal over the interior surface ofthe ring.

The invention claimed is: p

1. The method of making a finger ring consisting in forming a fingerband blank of precious metal with an enlarged central portion and fingerband portions extending away from each side thereof in substantially thesame plane, positioning a substantially flat filler blank of baser metalover the enlarged portion, striking the filler and blank in the same dieto form an emblem on one side of the finger band blank and an enlargedrecess on the other side thereof in which said filler is imbedded, theother side of said filler being substantially fiat, and thereafterbending said finger band blank and filler to provide a ring with thefiller on the inside thereof. 2. The method of making a finger ringconsisting forming a fiat finger band blank of precious metal with anenlarged central portion and finger band portions extending away fromeach side thereof in substantially the same plane,

positioning a substantially flat filler blank of baser metal but of lessWidth than the central portion of the finger band blank thereover,striking the filler and blank in the same die to form an emblem on oneside of the finger band blank,

and a concave recess on the other side surrounded by a wall portionformed from the uncovered periphery of the enlarged central portion,said filler being imbedded. within said' formed reeess with its exposedsurface substantially fiat, and thereafter bending said finger bandblank and filler to pro-vide a ring with a filler on the inside thereof.

3. The method of making a finger ring consisting in forming a fingerblank of precious metal with an enlarged central portion ofsubstantially uniform thickness and the finger band portions extendingaway from each side thereof in substantially the same plane, positioninga substantially fiat filler blank of baser metal over the enlargedportion, positioning the finger band blank over a female die member,striking the filler and finger band blank with a substantially flat diemember to form an emblem and concave surface on the exposed side of thefinger band blank through the medium of the filler, said filler therebybeing increased in thickness and imbedded in the formed finger bandblank with the exposed surface of the filler substantially flat, andthereafter bending said finger band blank and filler to provide a ringwith a filler on the inside thereof.

4. The method of making a finger ring consisting in forming a fingerband blank of precious metal with an enlarged central portion ofsubstantially uniform thickness and finger band portions extending awayfrom each side thereof in substantially the same plane, positioning asubstantially fiat filler blank of baser metal but of less width thanthe central portion of the finger band blank thereover, striking thefiller' and blank in the same die to form an emblem on one side of thefinger band blank, and a recess on the other side surrounded by a wallportion formed from the uncovered periphery of the enlarged centralportion, said filler being imbedded within said formed recess with itsexposed surface substantially flat, securing an overlay blank ofprecious metal over the substantially flat surface of the filler, andthereafter bending said finger band blank and filler to provide a ringwith a filler on the inside thereof.

5. The method of making a finger ring consisting in forming a fingerblank of precious metal with an enlarged central portion and the fingerband portions extending away from each side thereof in substantially thesame plane, positioning a filler blank of baser metal over the enlargedportion, positioning the finger band blank over a female die member,striking the filler and finger band blank with a substantially flat diemember thereby increasing the thickness of the filler and form, anemblem and recess on the exposed side of the finger band blank throughthe increased thickness of the filler, said filler thereby beingimbedded in the formed finger band blank with the exposed surface of thefiller substantially fiat, securing an overlay blank of precious metalover the substantially flat surface of the filler, and thereafterbending said finger band blank and filler to provide a ring with afiller on the inside thereof.

6. The method of making a finger ring consisting in forming a fingerband blank of precious metal with an enlarged central portion and. thefinger band portions extending away from each side thereof insubstantially the same plane, positioning a filler blank of baser metalover the enlarged portion, mounting an overlay blank of precious metalover the filler blank, positioning the finger band blank over a femaledie member, striking said blank with a substantially flat die member toform an emblem and recess on the exposed side of the finger band blankthrough the medium of the filler, said filler thereby being increased inthickness and imbedded in the formed finger band blank with the exposedsurface of the overlay blank substantially fiat, and thereafter bendingsaid formed struck blanks to provide a ring with a filler encased by theprecious metal.

7. The method of making a finger ring consisting informing a finger bandblank of precious metal, positioning a substantially flat filler blankof baser metal thereon, and simultaneously striking said combined blankswith the finger band blank on the female side of the die and the fillerblank on the male or hammered side of the die, the force of the stampingoperation causing the finger band blank toreceive the shape of thefemale die Without substantial variation in the thickness of the metal,While the metal of the filler blank flows to conform with such variationin thickness as is required by the form produced upon the finger bandblank and thereafter bending said formed blanks to provide a ring with afiller on the inside thereof.

TONY E. FOSTER.

